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May 31, 2026 This week’s theme A lexical daisy chain This week’s words caudillo confect incalescent premonitory antithesis How popular are they? Relative usage over time AWADmail archives Index Next week’s theme Book titles that became words Wordsmith Games 🧩 Jigsaw Riddle Before the Plaster 🌍 Langitude Trace arcadian home AWADmail Issue 1248 A Compendium of Feedback on the Words in A.Word.A.Day and Other Tidbits about Words and Language From: Anu Garg (words at wordsmith.org) Subject: Interesting stories from the Net ”It’s Broken English”: MP’s Attempt to Speak Jamaican in Parliament Sparks Language Row The Guardian Permalink Not Every Language Has Spelling Bees. Here’s Why English Is Perfect for Them. The New York Times Permalink From: RoseAnne Mussar (rmussar gmail.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--caudillo There are two parts of the constellation Serpens named Serpens Caput and Serpens Cauda. Caput is the serpent’s head, and cauda is the tail. When I saw caudillo, I immediately thought tail. Language is weird. RoseAnne Mussar, Ottawa, Canada From: Benjamin Avant (benjamin benjaminavant.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--caudillo The root behind Latin caput is one of the most prolific I can think of. In addition to your list, I know of cap, cape, five capitals (punishment, finance, geopolitical, letters, and columns), chapel, chaplain, chief, kaput, cabbage, cappuccino, a cappella, chaperone, caddie, capsize, and decapitate (plus variations of many of those). Whew! Benjamin Avant, Dallas, Texas From: Dave Shelles (writesdave gmail.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--caudillo Esquire political commentator Charles Pierce calls Trump El Caudillo del Mar-a-Lago. Dave Shelles, Acworth, Georgia Email of the Week -- Brought to you by Oneupmanship From: Cindy Watter (hedgehogccw gmail.com) Subject: Flaming June (Re: incalescent) What a coincidence! I just saw the painting you included with the word incalescent at the Crocker Museum in Sacramento. It usually resides in Puerto Rico, at the Museo de Arte de Ponce. It’s stunning -- you could warm your hands at it. Cindy Watter, Napa, California From: Alex McCrae (ajmccrae277 gmail.com) Subject: caudillo and antithesis Trump is the quintessential caudillo, exemplified by his brazen capture of Venezuela’s Maduro and his threats to annex Canada and take Greenland. While mired in the war with Iran, he’s aiming to arrest Cuba’s Raúl Castro (age 94). He flippantly suggested that perhaps Cuban-American Marco Rubio, who already handles the Secretary of State and Acting National Security Advisor roles, could assume the presidency of an annexed Cuba -- typical simplistic, pie-in-the-sky Trumpian thinking. The core character and moral fiber of Obama and Trump couldn’t be more antithetical. Two US presidents cut from totally different cloths. Obama projects a positive, highly intelligent, thoughtful, and empathetic mien. He could be self-deprecating at times, possessing a sharp wit and exhibiting eloquent, measured speech. In contrast, Trump lacks the empathy gene and never apologizes for his errors. He’s an incessant liar. He’s been dead-set on retaliation and retribution against those he deems have wronged him. Trump appears to relish fomenting discord and conflict while surrounding himself with sycophantic loyalists. Alex McCrae, Van Nuys, California Anagrams This week’s theme: A lexical daisy chain Caudillo Confect Incalescent Premonitory Antithesis = Chief Makes a sweet dish Nicely heated Slim icon that alerts one In cyclic axial counterpoints -Shyamal Mukherji, Mumbai, India (mukherjis hotmail.com) = He is lawless chief Concoct Ardent excitement, kimchi eh? Cautionary Is essentially antipodal = Head of state in Mexico I’ll make Yule sweets Can increase heat Psychic’s ill hint Contradiction -Julian Lofts, Auckland, New Zealand (jalofts xtra.co.nz) -Dharam Khalsa, Burlington, North Carolina (dharamkk2 gmail.com) Make your own anagrams and animations. Limericks caudillo A role Trump’s assuming with glee -- oh! -- Is that of a tinpot caudillo. This fellow who swore That we’d have no more war Attacks other nations con brio! -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) This caudillo’s a dictator, right? Well, we won’t let him be! We must fight! Gotta round up our guys On the q.t., surprise! Let’s make sure he is out like a light! -Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com) When Trump rests his head on his pillow, He dreams he’s the greatest caudillo. His war with Iran, The critics all pan, But still his big ego does billow. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) A cowardly lion named Leo Wanted badly to be a caudillo. Some friends passing by Said, “There’s no need to cry; Come to Oz with us, add to our trio!” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) confect The cakes which my Mom would confect Were yummy, just as you’d expect. I’d venture to say That they tasted that way Due to all of her love they’d reflect. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) His new restaurant had such appeal, And the praise for his cooking was real. For the chef was the boss To confect a fine sauce, So the diners would love their great meal. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “From corpses a man I’ll confect; In my lab, the techniques I’ll perfect,” Said the doctor. And lo, Mary Shelley (not Poe!) Made a monster we’d someday elect. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) incalescent Of the heat does he always complain, So she’s told him, “You’re being a pain!” His kvetching incessant That he’s incalescent Is causing their marriage some strain. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) While a lot of his peers grew senescent, He stayed vital, remained incalescent. He is horny as hell, And his wife is as well -- She is eager, not just acquiescent. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) Oooh, I can tell I am more incalescent! I used to be cold as a pheasant! But when Jimmy comes near And kisses my ear, The thermometer zoom is incessant! -Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com) I wake up at night in a sweat, And my jammies are clammy and wet. I feel incalescent, And glow incandescent. It’s menopause coming, you bet. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) There once was an amorous pheasant, Who longed for some hookups most pleasant. But birds would retreat When the hen was in heat, For then she was too incalescent. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “Can’t you try be more incalescent?” Said she. “Nights would be far more pleasant.” Said he, “That sounds swell, But I know you too well. We could try when I grow more senescent.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) premonitory “Let my words be premonitory; I’ll send drones at a school, bomb a tree!” Said Donald. But tangles Result from his angles, In school having failed at geometry. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) antithesis He called her “Antithesis Miss”. They had fights every day over this. For if he said “Day”, “It is night,” she would say. Then she’d try to appease with a kiss. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) Of stability he’s the antithesis; Donald’s better defined by his fickleness. Don’t despair, though! We’ll thrive When the midterms arrive, For to turn red states blue he’s the impetus! -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Puns “To warn the flock of a threat, caudillo-s mio!” the Mexican crow instructed her chick. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “That confect a porn star, paid ’er off, was found guilty of 34 felonies and still got elected?” remarked the incredulous Irishman. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “Those of us living here incalescent-ially accept the possibility of earthquakes and wildfires in exchange for warm weather and movie star sightings,” explained the Angeleno. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “No use cash, just barter. Our society still premonitory,” Oog explained to the anthropologist. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “The worst part of graduate studies is writing all those damn papers.” Said Todd, who was definitely antithesis. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “Antithesis where you’ll be staying,” said the old lady’s nephew as he locked her up in a detention camp after joining ICE. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self-contain’d, / I stand and look at them long and long. / They do not sweat and whine about their condition, / They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins, / They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, / Not one is dissatisfied, not one is demented with the mania of owning things, / Not one kneels to another, nor to his kind that lived thousands of years ago, / Not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. -Walt Whitman, poet (31 May 1819-1892)

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